Shimla

Monsoon fury kills 280 in Himachal, 145 in rains, 135 in road mishaps

The monsoon fury in Himachal Pradesh has claimed 280 lives since June 20, with 145 deaths caused by rain-related disasters and 135 in road accidents, according to the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA).The rain-related fatalities include deaths due to landslides (10), flash floods (9), cloudbursts (17), drowning (29), lightning (2), fires (13), electrocution (10), falls from steep terrain (30), and other incidents (25). Kangra district has reported the highest rain-related death toll at 29, followed by Mandi (26), Chamba (14), Kullu and Hamirpur (13 each), and Kinnaur (12).In road accidents, Chamba tops the list with 21 deaths, followed by Mandi (22), Kangra (18), Shimla (15), Kinnaur (13), Solan (13), Kullu (11), Una (8), Sirmaur (7), Bilaspur and Hamirpur (3 each), and Lahaul & Spiti (1).In the disaster, 342 people were reported injured, and 1,803 animals died along with over 25,700 poultry birds. Property damage has been severe, with 300 fully ...

Himachal rains: 257 roads, 151 DTR units, 171 water supply schemes affected

Mandi district reports the highest number of disrupted DTRs with 143, and the highest number of water supply schemes disrupted at 142

Himachal minister Anirudh Singh booked for alleged assault of NHAI official

The complaint, filed by Achal Jindal, who serves as Manager (Technical) at NHAI, claims the minister not only assaulted him but also subjected him to verbal abuse at the inspection site

Monsoon fury in Himachal: Building collapses, landslides block roads

As monsoon remained active in Himachal Pradesh, news of rain-induced damages, building collapse, landslides and road blockades poured in on Monday. A five-storey building collapsed in Bhattakufer in the suburbs of Shimla on Monday morning, while several cows from a shed washed away in the cloudburst in Rampur. The building at Mathu Colony on the road to Chamiyana Super Speciality Hospital caved in, albeit without casualties as the district administration, sensing grave risk, had already evacuated the inmates. However, two adjoining buildings were also endangered. "We vacated the building on Sunday night as the land was sliding after Saturday's rain. The building collapsed around 8.15 am on Monday morning," said its owner Ranjana Verma, adding that a four-lane road construction had endangered the structure but no measures were taken to ensure its safety. According to Chamiyana gram panchayat Up Pradhan Yashpal Verma, cracks had developed in the building last year but officials of th

3 dead in Shimla in road accident amid heavy rainfall across Himachal

Three people died in a road accident near Jalog, Shimla, amid continuous heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh on Monday.According to the Shimla Disaster Management Authority, the vehicle met with an accident about four kilometres ahead of Jalog in Sub Tehsil Jalog. Patwari of the Ogli Gram Panchayat and police personnel rushed to the spot of the accident.Further information regarding the accident is awaited.Meanwhile, Shimla Disaster Management Authority reported a cloudburst last night in village Sikaseri in Sarpara Gram Panchayat, Rampur in which a room, kitchen, a warehouse, a cow shed along with a cow and two calves owned by Rajender Kumar, and a cow along with shed owned by Vinod Kumar and Gopal Singh each were washed away.No loss of human life reported.According to the Disaster Management Authority, 34 Distribution Transformers (DTRs) are down, hampering the electricity supply in Shimla. The DTRs will be restored by Monday evening. Also, the water supply has been affected due to the .

Bank holiday today: Are banks closed today for Maharana Pratap Jayanti?

Bank holiday today: Banks in this state will observe a holiday today, due to Maharana Pratap Jayanti. However, banks will remain open in rest of the country

Urgent need for processing units as cherry harvesting picks up in Himachal

As cherry harvesting is in full swing, horticulturists as well as farmers in upper Shimla region see an urgent need for fruit processing units at village level to protect the crops from the impact of unpredictable weather conditions. Cherry growers are getting good prices for their crops ranging between Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 per box (each weighing between 400 and 650 grams). However, they often have to struggle with logistics issues while sending the crops to the markets due to sudden change in weather conditions. According to experts, setting up small-scale processing units at local level will help farmers in getting their crops processed quickly. Cherry is considered a high-value fruit crop in Himachal Pradesh in the months of April and May but due to short shelf life, timely transportation of produce to the market becomes important. At present, about 500 hectares of land in Himachal Pradesh are under Cherry cultivation which adds up to Rs 200 crore to the state's economy. Cherries

HPPCL director suspended after protests over chief engineer's death

A director (electrical) of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited has been suspended after the relatives of a deceased chief engineer of the corporation sat on a dharna demanding the suspension of senior officers and a CBI inquiry into his death, officials said on Thursday. The body of Vimal Negi, who was missing since March 10, was found in Bilapsur on Tuesday. Negi's wife has claimed that it was "not a suicide but murder", alleging that her husband was pressurised, denied holidays, and harassed even when he was unwell and his blood pressure was fluctuating. The protesters, who sat on dharna outside the HPPCL office in Shimla on Wednesday, refused to perform Negi's last rites till senior officers of the corporation were suspended. They also raised slogans against Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) director (electrical) Desh Raj and its managing director Harikesh Meena. The dharna was lifted late on Wednesday night only after the suspension of Desh Raj and ...

Himachal Cabinet expands BPL list, includes women-headed families

The Himachal Pradesh cabinet on Thursday approved inclusion of families with no adult members between 18 and 59 years, headed by women or whose head has a disability of 50 per cent or more under the Below Poverty Line (BPL) list. Families that worked for at least 100 days under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in the previous financial year and families whose earning members are suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, muscular dystrophy, thalassemia or any other condition resulting in permanent disability are also included in the BPL list, a statement issued here said. The state cabinet, in its meeting presided by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, approved the establishment of a special task force (STF) to combat drug abuse and dismantle drug trafficking and organised crime networks in the state through a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach. Besides, the cabinet has decided to promulgate an ordinance amending

Snowfall in Himachal Pradesh shuts 226 roads, including 3 highways

A total of 226 roads, including three national highways, were closed in Himachal Pradesh following snowfall in several districts, officials said on Wednesday. People shivered under piercing cold wave conditions as minimum temperatures dropped by a few notches in Jot, which received 10 cm of snow in the past 24 hours, followed by Khadrala (5 cm), Pooh (2 cm), Sangla (1.2 cm) and Keylong (1 cm). Tabo in the Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest place in Himachal Pradesh, recording a night temperature of minus 10.6 degrees Celsius. A total of 226 roads, including three national highways including Attari and Leh, Sanj to Aut in Kullu district, Khab Sangam in Kinnaur district, and Gramphoo in Lahaul and Spiti district were closed for traffic, officials said. According to the state emergency operation center, a maximum of 123 roads were closed in Shimla district, 36 in Lahaul and Spiti and 25 in Kullu. Additionally, 173 transformers were disrupted, affecting power supply across the

Himachal celebrates 'White Christmas', but snowfall triggers road closures

The recent snowfall in Himachal Pradesh has led to the closure of more than 200 roads, including key national highways

Himachal snowfall: 177 roads closed, Shimla hotel occupancy rises to 70%

At least 177 roads, including three national highways, were closed in Himachal Pradesh following snowfall in several districts, officials said on Tuesday. Snowfall was recorded in the Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti and the higher reaches of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and Sirmaur districts. A second consecutive day of snowfall has led to an increase in tourist inflow amid hope on a white Christmas. Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders' Association president MK Seth told PTI that hotel occupancy in Shimla was at more than 70 per cent. The snowfall led to a 30-percentage point increase in room bookings, he added. About 174 roads and three national highways are closed and tourists in about 500 vehicles stranded near the Atal Tunnel were safely rescued till late on Monday, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue and Disaster) Onkar Sharma told PTI Videos. According to reports, four people died in accidents during the past 24 hours and several suffered injuries due to vehicles skidding at so

Cold wave to hit Delhi, North India this week; IMD forecasts fog & rain

Delhi is set to experience cold wave this week, with temperatures dropping to 6 degrees Celsius by Dec 10. The Meteorological Dept forecasts fog, light rain, and cold conditions across NCR till Dec 14

NDB gives nod to float tenders for Rs 1,734 cr Shimla ropeway projects

The New Development Bank (NDB) has given a go-ahead to the Himachal Pradesh Ropeways Corporation to float advance tenders for the construction of Rs 1,734-crore Shimla ropeway project. Once complete, the project is expected to decongest the state capital. The tender process is expected to start soon and 50 per cent of the 13.79-km ropeway will be completed in two years, officials said here on Tuesday. "A big success for state capital Shimla, NDB has given permission for floating advance tenders for the project, paving way for construction of the ropeway. The 13.79-km ropeway would be the longest ropeway in the country and second longest in the world," Himachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, who also holds the portfolio of transport and ropeways, said in a post on his social media account. The contribution of the Himachal Pradesh government will be 20 per cent while NDB will fund the remaining 80 per cent, of which 90 per cent will be subsidy and 10 per cent loan.

Mosque row: Muslim panel asks municipal corporation to seal illegal portion

Amid escalating tensions over the Sinjauli mosque in Shimla, a Muslim welfare committee on Thursday urged the municipal commissioner to seal the unauthorised portion and also offered to demolish it in accordance with a court order. The panel comprises the Imam of the mosque and members of the Waqf board and the mosque management committee. A delegation of the committee made the request in a representation to Municipal Commissioner Bhupendra Attri and said Muslims living in the locality are permanent residents of Himachal Pradesh and it was taking the step to preserve harmony and brotherhood. "We have sought permission from the Shimla municipal commissioner to demolish the unauthorised part of the mosque situated in Sanjauli," member of the welfare committee Mufti Mohammad Shafi Kasmi said. The Imam of the Sanjauli mosque said, "There is no pressure on us, we have been living here for decades and this decision has been taken as a Himachali. We want to stay in peace and brotherhood .

Shimla mosque controversy: Protestors break barricades, clash with police

Protestors demanding the demolition of an illegal structure in a mosque in Shimla's Sanjauli area were lathi-charged by security forces on Wednesday after they broke police barricades during a demonstration. Raising slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" and "Hindu Ekta Zindabad", hundreds of protestors gathered at the Sabzi Mandi Dhalli and marched towards Sanjauli to lodge their protest and broke the barricades erected near the Dhalli tunnel. As the protestors, who had gathered on the call of Hindu groups, broke the second barricade near the mosque, police resorted to lathi-charge and used water cannons to disperse them. Amid escalating tensions over the unauthorised construction in the Sanjauli area mosque and a bandh call sounded by Hindu outfits to press for the demolition of the disputed structure, Sanjauli and adjoining areas have been converted into a fortress with heavy police deployment. The Shimla district administration issued prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya ..

State govt to bear only 28% of Shimla's Ropeway project: Himachal CM Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh government would bear only 28 per cent cost of Rs 1,734.70 crore Shimla Innovative Urban Transportation Ropeway Network Project, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said in the state assembly on Thursday. The 13.65 km long Ropeway from Tara Devi to Shimla would be executed on EPS (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) mode, he said in a written response to a question by BJP's Sudhir Sharma. The rate of interest would be finalised after a tripartite agreement between the state government, Finance Ministry and Department of Economic Affairs and Government of India, he said. The fare for commuters has not been decided yet, Sukhu said. Tenders for advance purchases would be invited only after approval from National Development Bank. The contribution of the state government would be 20 per cent while NDB funding would be 80 per cent of which 90 per cent would be subsidy and 10 per cent would be loans. Adding the loan component, the contribution of the state ...

Multiple landslides hit Shimla, 20 bodies recovered, rescue ops underway

Residents expressed concern over the damaged roads and blamed local authorities for negligence leading to the landslides

Himachal cloudburst: 13 dead near Samej bridge, rescue operations on

Earlier, on August 7, the IMD reported significant rainfall across the state

Himachal cloudbursts: Relief, rescue operations continue in Samej village

A total of 116 electricity supply schemes and 65 water supply schemes have also been disrupted in the state